Ananas lucidus Miller plant named ‘Xanda’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Ananas lucidus  Miller plant named ‘Xanda’, characterized by having upper leaf surfaces which are brilliant red-orange in the middle, ranging from red, RHS 48B, at the base through red, RHS 43A, at mid leaf to red, RHS 46A, close to the tip, with dark brown, RHS 200A, borders, lightening towards the tip; a long which is colored green-yellow, RHS 1D; and peduncle coloration which starts with green-yellow, RHS 1D, from the middle onwards and turns into orange-red, RHS 35B, and ends with red, RHS 39A.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: The plant genus is Ananas. The plant species is lucidus.

Variety denomination: ‘Xanda’.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Ananas lucidus Miller plant, which is hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Xanda’. The new cultivar's market class is that of ornamental potted, landscape, foliage and flower cuttings plants.

The new Ananas lucidus Miller cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Estevam Emygdio de Castro Filho, in Paracuru, Brazil. The new Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ originated from a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation in a batch of unnamed, unpatented Ananas lucidus Miller plants. The new Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ was discovered and selected in 1997 by the inventor in a controlled environment in Paracuru, Brazil.

Asexual reproduction of the Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ by side shoot cuttings was first performed in Paracuru, Brazil in 1997. The ‘Xanda’ plant exhibits a semi-perennial cycle. Eight generations of ‘Xanda’ have been grown since 1997, and the propagules are identical to the original ‘Xanda’. Asexual reproduction of ‘Xanda’ has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

The following characteristics were obtained by observing the prior art for plants of publicly known Ananas lucidus cultivars and plants of the instant cultivar ‘Xanda’, and are described below in Table 1:

TABLE 1 Ananas lucidus Progress cultivars Ananas lucidus Stage Characteristic from prior art ‘Xanda’ A. The Plant Leaf Position: Erect Erect (Vegetative pro- Plant Height: 92 cm 92 cm gress stage) Plant Diameter: 74 cm 74 cm B. The Leaf Leaf Length: 82 cm 81.5 cm (Vegetative pro- Leaf width (in the 36 mm 38 mm gress stage): middle of the leaf): Presence of thorns Only the Only the on the leaves: terminal terminal C. Inflorescence Length of the 40 mm 40 mm (Stage of inflorescence: development with Diameter of the 28.5 mm 28 mm flowers in the Inflorescence middle of the (Middle part): inflorescence): Length of the 60 mm 55 mm Peduncle: Diameter of the 10 mm 11 mm Peduncle (Middle part): Length of the 20 mm 20 mm Crown: Number of Bracts 9 10 on the peduncle: Number of Bracts 3 3 at the base of the fruit: Number of Berries 69 80 on the fruit: D. Presence of Number of High Quantity High Quantity Offspring (Mature Offspring (more than 2) (more than 2) Fruit Number of Sapling- High Quantity High Quantity Stage): Offspring (more than 2) (more than 2) Number of Saplings Medium Medium at the base of Quantity Quantity the fruit (5 to 10) (5 to 10)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The major characteristics of ‘Xanda’ include erectness as a plant, fruit less than 15 cm in height when at the adult stage, straight, dark reddish thornless leaves terminating in thorns, and a long, dark reddish stalk.

The following traits which have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of ‘Xanda’, which in combination distinguish ‘Xanda’ from other cultivars of Ananas lucidus Miller of the same general type.

-   -   1. The leaf upper surfaces are brilliant red-orange in the         middle, ranging from red, RHS 48B, at the base through red, RHS         43A, at mid leaf to red, RHS 46A, close to the tip, with dark         brown, RHS 200A, borders, lightening towards the tip.     -   2. The ‘Xanda’ stalk is long and colored green-yellow, RHS 1D.     -   3. The peduncle starts with green-yellow, RHS 1D, color, from         the middle onwards and turns into orange-red, RHS 35B, and ends         with red, RHS 39A. Plants of the new cultivar of Ananas lucidus         Miller ‘Xanda’ are distinguished from the unnamed, unpatented         parent Ananas lucidus as having more brilliant red-orange upper         leaf surfaces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention, together with the other objects, features, aspects and advantages thereof will be more clearly understood from the following in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Four sheets of drawings are provided. Sheet one contains FIG. 1. Sheet two contains FIG. 2. Sheet three contains FIGS. 3 and 4. Sheet 4 contains FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 1 is a color photograph of a front view of an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ plant which has not yet flowered.

FIG. 2 is a color photograph of a top view of an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ plant which has flowered.

FIG. 3 is a color photograph of an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ plant which has flowered on the left, and an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ plant which has not yet flowered on the right.

FIG. 4 is a color photograph of a close-up view of an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ fruit.

FIG. 5 is a color photograph of an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ showing the peduncle coloration and roots.

FIG. 6 is a color photograph of an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ showing the roots.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

FIG. 1 is a color photograph of a front view of an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ plant which has not yet flowered. The plant is ten months old. The distinctive leaf color is illustrated in FIG. 1. Leaf upper surfaces are brilliant red-orange in the middle, ranging from red, RHS 48B, at the base through red, RHS 43A, at midleaf to red, RHS 46A, close to the tip, with dark brown, RHS 200A, borders, lightening towards the tip. This brilliant red-orange coloration is in stark contrast to prior art Ananas lucidus Miller plants, which exhibit a dull rust-brown center leaf coloration. Leaf lower surfaces are grayed-green, RHS 197A, with dull red stripes, RHS 48C at the base, RHS 48A at midleaf, and RHS 52B toward the tip.

FIG. 2 is a color photograph of a top view of an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ plant which has flowered. The plant is ten months old, and was gassed with ethephon four months previously. One method to induce flowering in Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ plants is to gas with ethephon. Upon flowering, the brilliant red-orange coloration of the leaves and peduncle increases in intensity, and darkens slightly. As the Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ plants age, their coloration darkens.

FIG. 3 is a color photograph of an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ plant which has flowered on the left, and an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ plant which has not yet flowered on the right. The flowering plant is ten months old; the non-flowering plant is seven months old.

FIG. 4 is a color photograph of a close-up view of an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ fruit, which is colored red, RHS 48C RHS 49A. This specimen came from a ‘Xanda’ plant ten months old. One of the characteristics of the Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ cultivar is the height of the fruit, which does not exceed 15 cm. The leaflets stemming off the peduncle exhibit a central stripe of brilliant orange-red color as do the other ‘Xanda’ leaves, typically being colored orange-red, RHS 34A.

FIG. 5 is a color photograph of an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ showing the peduncle coloration and roots. The ‘Xanda’ stalk is long and colored green-yellow, RHS 1D. The peduncle is that portion of the plant which extends from the stalk to the fruit. The peduncle starts green-yellow, RHS 1D, turns orange-red, RHS 35B, from the middle onwards, and ends red, RHS 39A.

FIG. 6 is a color photograph of an Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ showing the roots. The specimen depicted in FIG. 6 is ten months old.

The following Botanical Description describes plants of Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ grown in San Pedro, Paracuru-Ceara, Brazil. The plants have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and/or fertilizer rate, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ plant comprises the following parts:

-   -   1. Stalk or main shaft, which the rest of the plant's organs are         attached to or rest upon.     -   2. Root System, fascicled with eventual roots, divided in two         categories: axillary (found in the axil of the basal leaves) and         the underground (originated in the inferior part of the stalk,         below the ground).     -   3. Lanceolate leaves with channel-shaped pipes, wrapped around         the stalk and thornless, with the exception of the terminal         thorn which is colored grey-orange, RHS 166C. The outer skin of         the superior leaves presents a uniform, smooth, waxy layer, and         has a reddish color in the central part of the leaf and a dark         reddish color at the edges. The inferior outer skin is composed         of grooves in the longitudinal direction, where stomas can also         be found. The inferior outer skin is covered by peltates with         scale-shaped trichomes, characterized by a white-silverish color         and continuous fuzz.

Leaf upper surfaces are brilliant red-orange in the middle, ranging from red, RHS 48B, at the base through red, RHS 43A, at midleaf to red, RHS 46A, close to the tip, with dark brown, RHS 200A borders, lightening towards the tip. Leaf lower surfaces are greyed-green, RHS 197A, with dull red stripes, RHS 48C, at the base, RHS 48A, at midleaf, and RHS 52B toward the tip.

-   -   4. Peduncle: The part of the plant that develops like an         extension of the stalk making a connection between the stalk and         the fruit, sustaining the inflorescence and later on the green         colored fruit at the base. The peduncle is covered by the         presence of trichomes. The peduncle starts green-yellow, RHS 1D,         turns orange-red, RHS 35B, from the middle onwards, and ends         red, RHS 39A.     -   5. Sapling or seedlings that produce axillary buds and         classified according with the position of the plant, in seedling         (found in the connection of the peduncle with the base of the         fruit), sapling-seedling (found in the connection of the         peduncle with the base of the stalk), and sapling (found in the         inferior part of the shaft, being airborne if it is above the         ground and underground if below the ground).     -   6. The inflorescence originates from the apical meristem of the         stalk, being a spike type, where the concrescent flowers are         sessile (deprived of the peduncle) and are inserted along a         shaft exposed in a spiral. The flowers are hermaphrodites and         are located in the axial of a floral bract, about 12 mm in         length and about 11 mm in width (52 days after floral induction         with ethephon), dense, pulpous and deltoid-shaped. The top side         of the bract has a green coloring, RHS 143C, at the base, with a         red coloring, RHS 48D, at the edges, and on the bottom side of         the bract has a green coloring, RHS 143C, at the base, with a         red coloring, RHS 44A, at the edges. The flowers are trimerous,         with three petals, about 11-15 mm in length and about 2-3 mm in         width, linear-shaped, and colored white, RHS 155A, on the bottom         side of the petal, and violet-blue, RHS N89D to purple-violet,         RHS N81B, on the top side of the petal (52 days after floral         induction with ethephon). The flowers also consist of three         pulpous sepals, about 6 mm in length and about 7 mm in width,         deltoid-shaped, and green coloring, RHS 143C, on the bottom         side, and a red coloring, RHS 37C, at the edges, and the bottom         of the sepal has a green coloring, RHS 143C, at the base, and a         red coloring, RHS 55B, at the edges (52 days after floral         induction with ethephon), with six stamens, about 7 mm in         length, exposed in two floral verticals of three, and has a         trilocular ovary, with one pistil, about 10 mm in length, a         style and three stigmas.     -   7. The fruit is known as a frutescence, a composed fruit, a         sorosis type, formed by the coalescence of the individual fruits         (berries), berrylike fruits, inserted in a central shaft         being-exposed in a spiral, composed by a carpology unit, with a         cylindrical form, it has a low sappiness, weak aroma, the shin         of the fruit originated from the union of the bracts and the         sepals. The fruit is red RHS 48C-RHS 49A.     -   8. The crown is a continuation of the growth by the fruit         producing new leaves giving as a product an erect crown         elevating the fruit. The terminal crown (coma) is         lanceolate-shaped, and averages about 1.7 cm in height, with         leafy bracts, about 2.3 mm in length and about 10 mm in width,         which are colored on the top side a yellow-green color, RHS         150D, at the base, and green, RHS 143D, at the edges. The bottom         side of the leafy bracts are colored a yellow-green color, RHS         150D, at the base, and green, RHS 138C, at the edges (52 days         after floral induction with ethephon). After 147 days after         floral induction with ethephon, the shape of the crowns are         still lanceolate-shaped, and average about 1.81 cm in height,         with leafy bracts, about 127 mm in length and about 12 mm in         width, and the coloring on the top-side is yellow-green, RHS         150D, at the base, and brown, RHS N200A, at the edges, with         stripes of a red color, RHS 43C, at the base and red RHS 43D on         the edges. The bottom side of the leafy bracts is yellow-green,         RHS 150D, at the base, and grey-brown, RHS N199A, at the edges         with stripes of a red RHS 36A to RHS 44D at the base, and red,         RHS 37A to RHS 43C on the edges. The plant is moderately         susceptible to fusariose, doesn't tolerate soaking, and is         susceptive to wither because of the Mealybugs.

Growth Cycle: The Ananas lucidus Miller ‘Xanda’ grows erectly, is herbaceous and semi-perennial, and about 70-110 cm in height. The roots appear at the stem. The roots at the lower part of the stem penetrate the ground and the roots at the higher part surround the stem. The secondary roots develop themselves at the pericycle of the main root (adventical roots), after emerging from the stem. The stem develops itself from the semi-ellipsoidal pulp of the young plant used in the planting. As new leaves develop themselves in their apical meristem, the stem grows longer and thicker. The leaves originate as lateral projections from the apical region of the growth from the shaft of the stem, and develop in the direction of the apex. The inflorescence appears from the difference of the apical meristem. With the appearance of the inflorescence the rosette leaves gradually become distinguishable from the peduncle. Each eye represents an extreme of each individual flower, and develops into a berry-like fruit.

All color codes refer to “The Royal Horticultural Society London, 2001 Ed.” Colors and leaf size may vary somewhat depending on horticultural practices such as light levels and fertilizer rates, among other things, without however, any variance in genotype. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ananas lucidus Miller plant named ‘Xanda’, as herein described and illustrated. 